BBC Learning English How to Complain (informal)

Jackie:

Hello, welcome to bbclearningenglish.com with me, Jackie Dalton. In a previous How to, we looked at how to tell someone youre not happy about something and ask them to change their behaviour in a polite way, with phrases like Would you mind?

Insert Neil, I hope you dont mind me mentioning thisbut, would you mind keeping the toilet seat down after youve used the toilet?

Jackie:

In this programme, we look at more direct ways to tell someone youre unhappy with their behaviour - expressions that might come up in very informal contexts. If youre not already in an argument when you use this kind of language, youll probably end up in one pretty soon, because the expressions were going to look at in this programme are aggressive and likely to upset whoever youre speaking to. Callum and William live together and theyre beginning to annoy each other

Callum + William - Oh not again! Will, will you for once in your life, please do the washing up! - I did it, I did it on Sunday! - Yeah, but its Friday now, for goodness sake! Im just fed up with the way you leave everything lying around in the kitchen because nobody can cook anything there without cleaning up your mess first and Im just sick and tired of it!

Jackie:

As we heard, Callum is not happy with William because he never seems to do the washing up. One expression Callum uses to show his anger is

How to Complain (informal) bbclearningenglish.com

BBC Learning English 2007 Page 1 of 4

for goodness sake! The phrase shows hes really annoyed, frustrated and exasperated. For goodness sake! We can also tell hes annoyed by the tone of his voice: theres quite a difference between For goodness sake! Which sounds a bit annoyed, but quite relaxed, and For goodness sake! Which sounds like the person is very angry!

Callum Yeah, but its Friday now, for goodness sake! Im just fed up with the way you leave everything lying around in the kitchen

Jackie:

Another expression he uses is Im fed up withListen to some more examples with fed up with

Examples Im fed up with him! Im fed up with the trains always being late! Im fed up with the way she leaves her rubbish on the floor! I am fed up with you bringing your boring I wont say boring boring friends round.

Jackie:

Lets listen to Callum again. This time, listen out for the expression he uses at the end of his outburst.

Callum Im just fed up with the way you leave everything lying around in the kitchen because nobody can cook anything there without cleaning up your mess first and Im just sick and tired of it!

Jackie:

He ends with Im sick and tired of it! This means more or less the same thing as Im fed up with it! You could also just say: Im tired of it! Or, Im sick of it! Or even, Im sick of you! A bit like William does here

How to Complain (informal) bbclearningenglish.com

BBC Learning English 2007 Page 2 of 4

William Im sick of you always going on at me about these stupid things that dont matter!

Jackie:

We often use the word always when we want to make accusations or complaints about something which someone does often.

William and Callum - Youre always leaving it for me. - But why is it, why is it that its always you that tells me what to do.

Jackie:

Never comes up quite often too You never do the washing up! You never say you love me! In this next clip, were going to hear three separate expressions to show annoyance. See if you can spot them.

Callum What really gets under my skin is I just hate the way you come home late and make so much noise when Im in bed. Im sick of it!

Jackie:

Did you spot them? The first one was, what really gets under my skin its a way of saying that something really irritates you and makes you angry.

Callum What really gets under my skin

Jackie:

Its followed straight away by another expression of annoyance: I hate the way you

Callum What really gets under my skin is I just hate the way you come home late.

Jackie:

And Im sick of it!

How to Complain (informal) bbclearningenglish.com

BBC Learning English 2007 Page 3 of 4

Callum Im sick of it!

Jackie:

If Callum hates the way William makes a lot of noise at night, William hates the way Callum makes a lot of noise in the mornings.

William Well, if were talking about noise, how about this: mrroooo, thats the noise that I hear every morning at about six o clock with you blow-drying your hair, Callum. And yet, every- mrroooo! Im sick of that! It's got to stop because it just cant carry on! Ive had enough!

Jackie:

William uses the expressions: It's got to stop! It cant carry on! and Ive had enough! Firm and clear phrases to deliver your message that you want someone to stop doing something.

William It's got to stop because it just cant carry on! Ive had enough!

Jackie:

So lets end with a recap of those expressions:

For goodness sake! Im fed up with the way you Im sick of Im tired of Im sick and tired of You always Jackie:

You never What really gets under my skin is I just hate the way you It's got to stop! It just cant carry on! Ive had enough!

And thats where well end this weeks programme!

How to Complain (informal) bbclearningenglish.com

BBC Learning English 2007 Page 4 of 4